Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Septuagenarian Slaughters the Village
The moment Jiang Li ran in, she heard the sound of a flute coming from the foot of the mountain not far away. Her heart sank, and she scrambled frantically downhill.
Yu Huannian hadn’t expected it either—that his mother had actually waited for several days. Watching Jiang Li run down the mountain, he glanced over his shoulder, a bitter, self-deprecating smile twisting his lips.
’Ning Rou is so exceptional. How could I ever be worthy of her?’
He quickened his pace, chasing after Jiang Li.
Back in the village, a crowd stared at Liu Deceng, whose legs were wrapped in bandages that were still seeping blood. Many turned their heads, unable to look.
They hadn’t expected that his legs had been amputated.
Liu Deceng glared at the group in the room, his rage palpable. "Where are Jiang Li and Yu Huannian, those two little bastards?"
’Yu Huannian might be in good shape, but he’s got that dead weight with him. Besides, isn’t his wife pregnant?’
’They should have been caught and locked up by now, just waiting for me to deal with them. I’ll skin them alive and tear out their tendons!’
"We couldn’t find them. Several outsiders have shown up, so we can’t make any rash moves."
One-eyed stepped forward, his brow furrowing as he looked at Liu Deceng’s amputated legs. He remembered the injuries not seeming this severe.
Seeing One-eyed staring at his legs, Liu Deceng’s anger flared. "What are you looking at? Who knows what that little beast smeared on them."
"The doctor said if they weren’t amputated in time, my entire legs would have necrotized."
Liu Deceng grit his teeth as waves of pain pulsed from his stumps. If it weren’t for Yu Huannian, he wouldn’t be a cripple.
"Useless fools! How far could Yu Huannian have gotten, dragging along a pregnant woman and that dead weight!"
Liu Deceng grabbed a nearby object and hurled it at the men in front of him. He was convinced they were tormenting him on purpose.
’Otherwise, how could they have possibly failed to catch anyone?’
"Chief, we really didn’t find them."
"Did they just sprout wings and fly away?" Liu Deceng trembled with rage.
’Dammit! If they can’t find them, I lost my legs for nothing!’
The crowd watched Liu Deceng roaring like a madman and began to back away. Just as they were about to leave, they suddenly heard a sound.
"Hey, did you guys hear that?"
"I don’t know what it is, but it sounds rather pleasant."
The crowd stepped out of Liu Deceng’s house and was suddenly met with swarms of butterflies and bees flying toward them.
"Wow, how beautiful!"
"AHH!"
The women admired the sight, unable to help but exclaim in wonder. But in the next second, a blood-curdling scream erupted from the crowd as someone collapsed, foaming at the mouth.
"Look out! The bees are stinging people! Run!"
When they turned to flee, they found their escape route was already blocked by a wall of bees.
"Yu Shuzhen! It’s you!" A cry of alarm rang out from the crowd.
The crowd’s gaze shifted. There stood Yu Shuzhen, hunched over, dressed in a patched black coat with a thick hat on her head. In her wrinkled hands, she held a bent, yellowed bamboo flute.
"You’re behind this? What the hell do you want?!"
One-eyed’s eyes went wide with terror as he stared at the horrifying swarms of bees and butterflies. His legs grew weak with fear.
’How... How is Yu Shuzhen doing this? It’s demonic.’
Yu Shuzhen lifted her head, her ghastly eyes sweeping over them. "How wonderful. You’re all here."
’My long wait wasn’t in vain.’
A hoarse laugh rumbled in Yu Shuzhen’s throat. "I’m here to see you off on your final journey!"
Someone in the crowd suddenly fell to his knees with a THUD, begging for mercy. "Yu... Yu Shuzhen! It was all Liu Deceng and Liu Quan Gui! It had nothing to do with us!"
The women in the group also fell to their knees, pleading, "That’s right, Shuzhen! This doesn’t concern us! We’re all just poor souls..."
"You are not pitiful in the slightest." Yu Shuzhen’s ghastly gaze fell upon the women. ’They were the ones who twisted the knife in my back.’
Yu Shuzhen looked at the crowd, no longer wanting to waste her breath on them. She raised the flute to her lips and began to play again.
At the sound of the flute, the bees and butterflies descended upon them. Some people who had just started to run collapsed with a THUD, unable to rise again.
Inside the house, Liu Deceng had no idea what was happening outside. All he could hear were the ceaseless screams and pleas for mercy.
CREAK—
The door was pushed open, and Yu Shuzhen stepped inside.
Liu Deceng’s eyes widened in terror. He used his hands to drag himself away, leaving a long trail of blood in his wake.
Yu Shuzhen watched Liu Deceng’s desperate struggle, then stomped her foot on one of his amputated stumps.
"AGGHHH!!!" A scream like a butchered hog tore through the air as Liu Deceng’s body convulsed.
"Yu... Yu Shuzhen... I... I was wrong... For the sake... of the help I once... gave you... please... please spare me."
Liu Deceng felt himself on the verge of death, only to be dragged back to consciousness by the searing pain.
Hearing Liu Deceng’s words, a ghastly, cold laugh escaped Yu Shuzhen’s throat.
"Your so-called ’help’ was standing by and watching as they violated me, and then you..."
"No, no, no! I was forced to!" Terror was etched all over Liu Deceng’s pale face.
Yu Shuzhen watched him with cold indifference. A moment later, a killer bee from her shoulder flew down and landed on his groin.
"AGH!" Liu Deceng let out a half-dead wail. Yu Shuzhen picked up a nearby hammer and smashed his teeth in.
When she came out, everyone outside was on the ground, unable to move. Some were still breathing.
Yu Shuzhen departed with her sated bees and butterflies. As for those still breathing, only a long, agonizing death awaited them.
Yu Shuzhen returned home, combed her hair, and changed into a new set of clothes. She looked at the unrecognizable person in the mirror, a smile forcing its way onto her chapped lips. Then, she rose, and leaning on a walking stick, began her step-by-step journey up the mountain on the other side.
Just as Jiang Li and Yu Huannian arrived, they heard faint cries for help. Some villagers were slumped over, feebly reaching out to them.
"Help... help me."
Jiang Li stepped right past them, ignoring their pleas as she scanned the area, searching for any sign of Yu Shuzhen.
Yu Huannian ran to his house and threw open a cabinet. The new set of clothes, prepared years ago, was gone.
Yu Huannian leaned against the wall and slid down, his body limp. A choked sob escaped him.
’Yu Shuzhen had told him this would happen. But now that the moment was here, he still couldn’t accept it. They were the ones in the wrong, but his mother had to sacrifice herself as well.’
When Lu Xingye and Ning Sinian rode back on the motorcycle, they found the master and disciple arguing by the side of the road.
"What’s wrong? Where’s Jiang Li?"
Lu Xingye stopped the motorcycle and looked at Wu Ming, who was sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.
"She... she and that ’brother’ of hers went back! I wanted to go with them, but my master wouldn’t let me."
Ning Sinian and Lu Xingye exchanged a glance and immediately ran toward the village. Seeing them go, Wu Ming’s courage returned, and she followed right behind.
As she ran, Wu Ming clutched her small compass, her mind focused entirely on Jiang Li. She followed its needle without a second thought.
’It has to be right. This is Jiang Li we’re talking about. Her luck is so good, the compass will definitely lead me to her.’
"Sigh! Why won’t any of you listen!"
Cao Kun slapped his thigh in frustration. He glanced at the Compass in his own hand and followed them in. But once inside, he couldn’t find a trace of anyone.
He was dumbfounded. ’Is this thing messing with me on purpose?’
Jiang Li searched the entire village but couldn’t find Yu Shuzhen. Suddenly, a place came to mind, and she headed up the mountain.
After gathering Yu Shuzhen’s clothes, Yu Huannian came out of the house and saw the three outsiders in the village.
Lu Xingye and Ning Sinian stared in horror at the scene before them.
Ning Sinian quickly knelt and pulled a bee’s stinger from one of the bodies.
"This stinger... it looks like it’s from a killer bee."
Lu Xingye pressed his lips together, taking in the scene.
"Help... help me."
Lu Xingye started to move forward, but Ning Sinian immediately pulled him back. "Don’t. It’s a potent toxin. They can’t be saved."
Yu Huannian glanced at the newcomers, then looked around for Jiang Li. Not seeing her, he turned and headed for the mountain behind the village.
Lu Xingye spotted Yu Huannian’s retreating figure and quickly gave chase, his mind buzzing. ’What in the world is going on here?’
A cold glint flashed in Ning Sinian’s eyes as he surveyed the area. He then turned to leave.
Wu Ming scrambled to catch up. "Hey, slow down! Don’t leave me here by myself! I’m scared!"
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